By TOM LATEK, Kentucky Today

FRANKFORT, Ky. (KT) - One week after Kentucky's child support services transitioned to the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) from the Cabinet for Health and Family Services, Kentucky Attorney General Russell Coleman is calling the major undertaking a success.

The transition took place on July 1, with minimal disruption to those delivering child support services, and most importantly for the children and families who depend on them. In 2023, the General Assembly passed legislation sponsored by Sen. Stephen Meredith, R-Leitchfield, to move the state's child support function.

Coleman appointed Amy Burke as the Office's Chief of Child Support Services. Burke previously was Assistant Deputy Attorney General for Criminal Litigation, and prior to that served as the Chief Prosecutor in the Kenton County Attorney's Office.

Described by Coleman as a "no-fail" mission, the goal of the transition is to enhance the efficiency and impact of child support services--ultimately strengthening the financial stability of Kentucky families.

In recent months, Burke and the team in the Office of the Attorney General traveled thousands of miles to meet with nearly every County Attorney and local child support office to gather firsthand knowledge on the program's operations.

"This is a no-fail mission, and I look forward to working with our new OAG colleagues, the General Assembly, and our critically important County Attorneys partners to make this program deliver on its promises," Coleman said. "I'm so very grateful to our team who invested countless hours and put serious mileage on their vehicles to make this a smooth transition that delivers for the kids who we now serve."

Currently, nearly 140 employees work in the Attorney General's Department of Child Support Services. In the last fiscal year, the program handled more than 220,000 cases and collected over $336 million in child support.